Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly aimed a dig at Arsenal following their heartbreaking Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest. The Gunners lost 4-3 on penalties after Gabriel missed a decisive spot-kick, sparking criticism of their defensive approach.
Ferguson's Alleged Comments
According to French outlet L'Equipe, Ferguson sent a congratulatory text to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, labeling Arsenal as 'boring'. The Scot, who won two Champions Leagues during his iconic 27-year spell at Old Trafford, was said to be unimpressed by the Gunners' style of play. Arsenal had just 24.7% possession, the lowest for any side in a Champions League final since records began, and managed only one shot on target—Kai Havertz's early goal.
Conflicting Reports
However, sources from Qatar Sports Investments, PSG's majority owner, claimed Ferguson did not use the word 'boring'. Instead, they said he was extremely positive, stating: 'You were the team that played football.' Ferguson attended PSG's semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich last month.
PSG Star Backs Ferguson
PSG midfielder Joao Neves echoed the sentiment, saying: 'We deserved this title. I saw only one team on the pitch. We created chances, we had the ball most of the time, and we played better.'
L'Equipe's Brutal Review
L'Equipe delivered a scathing assessment of Arsenal, claiming they deserved to lose. They wrote that Arteta had 'rejected his Barcelona legacy' by adopting a defensive approach. The French publication noted: 'For a long time, it seemed PSG would lose this final without even really playing, rendered powerless, locked down by the Gunners, who threw the key into the Danube before parking their double-decker bus in front of David Raya's goal.'
They added: 'Mikel Arteta's rejection of a Barcelona legacy, on the cusp of the best night of his career, can justify his defeat, as can this statistic: Havertz's goal was Arsenal's only shot on target, a sorry mess with players like these, as if this club, built on attacking football, had shed all scruples to extinguish its reputation as a loser.'
Despite PSG struggling to create many chances, L'Equipe felt the team 'who tried to play' deserved to win their second successive Champions League title. 'Can you be European champion with only one shot on target, a constantly low block, and 25 per cent possession? Perhaps, and even certainly. But it's quite fortunate that it didn't happen this Saturday night,' they concluded.
